Mae West: Gracie Fields

During the 1930s, a fine way to get an actress into the spotlight was for her publicists to invent a feud with a big star such as MAE WEST. Since Gracie Fields was born in Rochdale in early January, let's revisit this odd flip of the flapjack, shall we?
• • Gracie Fields  [9 January 1898 — 27 September 1979] • •
• • "Gracie Fields v. Mae West" • •
• • After her return from Hollywood, Gracie Fields was asked whether it was a fact that Mae West had asserted that she was in receipt of a greater salary than the Lancashire comedienne.  "She is probably too busy telling young men to go West to bother about me. Anyway, my salary need not give her sleepless nights," added the girl from Rochdale.
• • Source:  The Cessnock Eagle and South Maitland Recorder; published on Tuesday, 6 July 1937.
• • On Sunday, 6 January 1935 • •
• • On Sunday, 6 January 1935, one day after her father had died, an interview with Mae West ran in the Sunday Dispatch. The title was "I'm an angel really — Mae West tells for the first time just what she is really like."
• • On Saturday, 6 January 1940 • •
• • Blytheville, Arkansas was a-buzzing on Saturday, 6 January 1940 when the Courier News was delivered. On page 3 was a tsk-tsk tut-tut piece about Mae West, then shooting with W.C. Fields in Hollywood.
• • The article scolded the screen siren because she had been "ruling the roost" during shooting of "My Little Chickadee," making script changes and criticizing the action. Supposedly, the director protested that he had reached the limit of his patience when Mae demanded that her leading man, actor Joseph Calleia, dye his hair before their romantic scenes.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Mae West attended a fashion show in London.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said:  "Say what you want about long dresses, but they cover a multitude of shins."
• • Quote, Unquote • •

• • A Singapore paper mentioned Mae West.
• • "Mae West on 'That English Gang' Again" • •
• • Mad Because Gracie Rated Best Paid • •
• • Britain's boast, that Gracie Fields is the highest-paid woman In the film industry, has stung Mae West to anger. When this news preceded Gracie to Hollywood, Mae summoned her press agents to a conference, and this Is the speech she is reported to have made to them:
• • "Everybody knows I'm the highest paid actress in the world, and I don't have to make four pictures a year and do personal appearances and radio broadcasts, either." . . .
• • Note: There's more text in this article but it sounds like bunk, lighter than a Singapore Sling.
• • Source: Item rpt in The Straits Times; published on Sunday, 27 June 1937 
• • The Mae West Blog celebrates its 11th anniversary • •    
• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during these past eleven years. The other day we entertained 3,497 visitors. And we reached a milestone recently when we completed 3,300 blog posts. Wow! 
• • By the Numbers • • 
• • The Mae West Blog was started ten years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 3349th blog post. Unlike many blogs, which draw upon reprinted content from a newspaper or a magazine and/ or summaries, links, or photos, the mainstay of this blog is its fresh material focused on the life and career of Mae West, herself an American original.

• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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• • Photo: • • Mae West • • in 1937 • •
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